Hi, Shrewd!        Login  
Shrewd'm.com 
A merry & shrewd investing community
Best Of PoliticsBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd
Search
Shrewd'm.com Merry shrewd investors
Search
Best Of PoliticsBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd


The week's question
In December 2024, in the thread "Re: BRK: Why Not XOM?", BreckHutHigh asked the members: "What about the long road trips with kids?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
Answer this questionContinue to Shrewd'mThis note won't appear again
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (118) |
Author: albaby1 SILVER
SHREWD
  😊 😞

Number: of 84357 
Subject: Re: war with Denmark or Panama??
Date: 01/09/25 5:40 PM
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 8
Do they. What about their energy infrastructure?

Probably adequate to manage a shift to a wartime footing. There's no way Russia could completely seal off the entire continent, especially since Europe's navy is - again - equal to that of Russia, and they would be joined by other NATO members with naval resources (like the U.S. and Canada). Their subs could harry those supply lines, but those supply lines would also be protected by escorting navy vessels - and while counter-sub maneuvers are tough, subs are not invincible.

In recent years they've improved.

They've always been massive. Again, the $200+ billion that I cited further up the thread was from 2015. Not "in recent years" - from before Trump or Biden took office.

Whether you think they should be bigger is a separate question from whether they are insubstantial. They are not insubstantial - again, Europe spends more on its combined military and has more active duty personnel than nearly any military on earth, save only the U.S. and (perhaps) the Chinese.

Could France alone fight off Russia? Of course not. They've never been able to do that, and never would be able to do that. But could all of the military forces contribute significantly to the defense of the continent against a Russian invasion, working as part of a NATO force that included US power? Absolutely - both now and in 2015 and probably at every time relevant to this discussion.

Could they spend more? Sure. Are they spending an insignificant amount? Absolutely not.
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
Print the post
Members reply directly to albaby1 here — and replies get answered. Reading is free; so is joining the conversation. Join Shrewd'm »
This community has written 84,309 posts about US Policy. The article-length ones it recommended most:
It's going to get worse · 33 recs · 2025
G’day Donny · 30 recs · 2026
Old Related Story · 28 recs · 2026
HCR is a national treasure · 27 recs · 2025
Fascism in America · 27 recs · 2025
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (118) |


Announcements
US Policy FAQ
Contact Shrewd'm
Contact the developer of these message boards.

Best Of Politics | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Followed Shrewds | Open Questions | Moving a community